1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus that picks up images of front left side and front right side road situations at a blind crossing, or the like by a vehicle-equipped camera and displays the image in the interior of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is desired that a speed Vd at which a video image picked up by a vehicle-equipped camera is started displaying in the interior of the vehicle is set high to some extent such that a passenger can see the camera video image as soon as possible at the moment when the driver decelerate the vehicle at the blind crossing, or the like to check safety of front left side and front right side road situations. In contrast, it is preferable that a speed Vu at which display of the camera video image is stopped is set as low as possible from aspects of practical use and safety at the moment when the driver accelerate the vehicle after the safety check of the road situations.
However, when the display starting speed Vd is set to be higher than the display stopping speed Vu, there is a possibility that the display of the camera video image is kept on depending upon driving situations of the vehicle.
For example, the camera video image is displayed on the monitor screen in the interior after the speed of the vehicle becomes the display starting speed Vd or less. In that moment, such a problem exists that, if the speed is increased once again before the speed is decreased lower than the display stopping speed Vu, the camera video image on the monitor screen does not disappear and is kept being displayed as it is even in such a situation that the speed has already been increased.
As a vehicle camera device, a device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,287,817 is conventionally known.